Planet OMEGA lifts off on its stratospheric new world tour in Shanghai

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Pushing the envelope to achieve real tangible outcomes, whether that be through performance or technical innovation, has always been at the heart of OMEGA’s mission. The 171-year-old watchmaker’s dedication to excellence has won them support from a legion of esteemed individuals and organisations — NASA, the Olympic Games, countless stars of stage & screen — many of which have gone on to develop a symbiotic relationship with the brand. It was therefore fitting that Planet OMEGA — unveiled in Shanghai last weekend — commemorated many of those special relationships with an exhibition that was unprecedented in its exhaustiveness. This debut marked the beginning of a year-long roadshow throughout mainland China, followed by a multi-year tour that will see Planet OMEGA exhibited around the globe.

Under the vast canopy of the Power Station of Art — China’s first ever state-run contemporary art museum — one of the most exhaustive collections of OMEGA paraphernalia ever to be assembled was displayed. Encased behind row upon row of towering glass panels — which evoked, rather cleverly, the funhouse atmosphere of The Man with the Golden Gun — the exhibition was divided into 7 discrete “pillars” (i.e. Space, Glamour, Precision, Ocean, the Olympics, Heritage and James Bond), each constituting an essential part of the OMEGA heritage.

OMEGA traces its association with the James Bond universe back to 1995, when then-007 actor Pierce Brosnan made his film debut wearing a Seamaster Professional 300M.

The exhibit's "Glamour" section celebrates the enduring connection between OMEGA and industry-leading actors, models and musicians.

Planet OMEGA's "Space" section celebrates the pivotal and ongoing role which the brand has played in lunar exploration.

Having been the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games on 28 separate occasions, OMEGA's history is rich with innovations that have revolutionised precision timekeeping in the world of sports.

In all its guises, the ocean has had an outsized impact on how OMEGA designs timepieces and engages with environmental activism.

The new exhibition dedicates an entire section to legendary OMEGA movements (such as the Calibre 321, pictured) that were universally lauded for their precision, reliability and artful aesthetic.

At the "Heritage" section, visitors are able to learn (complete with period-correct photo documentation) all about the history of the OMEGA manufacture, located in the Swiss canton of Bern.

OMEGA traces its association with the James Bond universe back to 1995, when then-007 actor Pierce Brosnan made his film debut wearing a Seamaster Professional 300M.

The exhibit's "Glamour" section celebrates the enduring connection between OMEGA and industry-leading actors, models and musicians.

Planet OMEGA's "Space" section celebrates the pivotal and ongoing role which the brand has played in lunar exploration.

Having been the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games on 28 separate occasions, OMEGA's history is rich with innovations that have revolutionised precision timekeeping in the world of sports.

In all its guises, the ocean has had an outsized impact on how OMEGA designs timepieces and engages with environmental activism.

The new exhibition dedicates an entire section to legendary OMEGA movements (such as the Calibre 321, pictured) that were universally lauded for their precision, reliability and artful aesthetic.

At the "Heritage" section, visitors are able to learn (complete with period-correct photo documentation) all about the history of the OMEGA manufacture, located in the Swiss canton of Bern.

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In an evening filled with priceless artefacts — a electronic start gun from the 2010 Winter Olympics; the Spectre edition Seamaster 300 — that told the most exciting version of the OMEGA tale, the brand made sure to bring an A-lister equal to the task of introducing them, enlisting Oscar winner Mr. Eddie Redmayne to kick off festivities. The Fantastic Beasts actor has been an OMEGA ambassador since 2015 — spotted on numerous occasions wearing the Constellation Globemaster — and was among the first of the brand’s VIPs to experience the richly interwoven narrative of Planet OMEGA. “In just four years with OMEGA, I’ve been so impressed by the diversity of the brand”, says Redmayne. “Their qualities of style, reliability and precision have had such a wide-ranging importance throughout the world. It’s great to see everything come together in one exhibition. As an actor, I love stories and OMEGA certainly has many extraordinary stories to tell.”